EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Continuing the pattern of previous years, the Education Committee ran four full-day courses during 2019. These covered Grandsire Doubles and Triples, Cambridge Surprise Major, listening skills and Plain Hunt. Additionally, an evening of Basic Raising and Lowering took place in February, plus a morning of Raising and Lowering in Peal in May.

The Education Committee would like to thank all those who generously give their time, talents and energy to help on Education Days, whether in the tower as steady ringers, or behind the scenes providing refreshments, arranging towers or pubs for lunch, or putting muffles on bells for silent practices, and to tower secretaries who liaise with their local churches to accommodate our often late changing needs. None of the courses would run without your help. Thank you all very much.

During the year, two discussion sessions were held to review the training needs of the Guild and how those training needs should be fulfilled. The “Have Your Say” evening during Holy Week, held in Winchester looked primarily at what is needed. Invitation to the Education Committee Meeting in September were extended to representatives of all districts and addressed how to deliver training to fulfil the needs. The outcome of the two meetings was that there is a desire for more training to be delivered closer to the attendees, and that at the foundation and early change ringing stages (up to Plain Bob Doubles / Grandsire Doubles) that the training should be district based rather than Guild based. The Guild Education Committee with therefore during 2020 focus on providing support to district run courses, providing resources (course materials, tutor, advice and support) where required. The Guild Education Committee will focus on delivering a fewer number of courses at the intermediate change ringing level. At the time of writing it is planned that the Education Committee will deliver a single course this year, focussing on plain methods beyond Plain Bob Doubles and Plain Bob Minor to provide building blocks for progressing to Surprise Minor. The Committee will monitor what training is being delivered in the districts during 2020 to determine whether this approach is working, or whether the pattern needs to be revised in 2021. Should Guild members have any comments then please pass these on to members of the Education Committee.

Christine Knights-Whittome stood down from the Education Committee at the end of 2019 after many years of service. Christine has kept us all on track for many years and will be sadly missed. We wish you a happy retirement from the stress of organising both events and the other committee members.

The Education Committee is always looking for additional members, at all levels of ringing ability. A lot of what is needed is input into discussions to help identify training needs, and to consider different ways to satisfy those needs. If you are interested in joining us, please get in touch.

Financially, our 2019 end-of-year figure is higher than last year, although at the end of 2018 about £300 had already been paid towards 2019 costs. The Committee remains in a financially stable position.

Andy Ingram